ONE of the great British paradoxes is its record in terms of science and innovation.

Addressing members of the Cardiff Business Club, Ian Blatchford, director of the Science Museum In London and the Science Museum Group said the general public’s interest in science was shockingly low.

“So it’s a great puzzle that Britain is ranked in the top three of scientific nations in terms of innovation,” he said.

Mr Blatchford heads the biggest museum group in the world, which attracts 5.5million visitors and more school groups than any other museum in the country.

Despite housing the most important science and technology collection in the world, with some seven million objects there was a lack of interest in science.

“This is a problem not just facing Britain but the richest nations in the world. There is not only lack of interest with the general public but also you find another trend which is the gap between what boys think of the subject and what girls think, which has become a political issue,” he said.

He added: “The curse in science education is “initiativitis” which is everyone thinking of a new project or scheme to engage children when there is clear evidence that the more initiatives you throw at a school the less effective you are being.”

He said: “We must not treat children as though they were being shoved into some pipeline where they must do some subjects in order to become scientists and have a career in science. It would be much more imaginative to persuade them their lives would be more interesting even if they didn’t end up in research laboratory.”

Figures like Marie Curie and Albert Einstein were seen by young people as remote, dead people. So having role models was really crucial.

“Young people want examples of the practical benefits of science rather than just the theoretical,” he said.

Mr Blatchford then pointed to what he called “a huge neglected audience for what science museums do.”

He said: “Everyone thinks science museums are just for children and to me it seems insane. Research shows a huge audience from grown-ups who want to know more about the challenges we face.

“Once a month we open late and get 6,000 people in aged between 18 and 35.”